


Sin City

by Gerec, lachatblanche



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Mob, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Blood, M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-14
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-26 13:44:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6241603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gerec/pseuds/Gerec, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lachatblanche/pseuds/lachatblanche
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The constant war for money and power tears the City apart after Brian Xavier gets treacherously killed by his sworn rival Sebastian Shaw, so the young heir of the criminal empire, Charles, has to prove he is a worthy successor of his father. Shaw’s pawns are out for his blood but Charles is not alone in this - on his side are people who owe him their lives and wellbeing and would gladly die/kill for him. Starting from his ‘sister’ Raven – deadly assassin and elusive spy, dr. McCoy – mad scientist and evil genius, Erik Lehnsherr – cold-blooded hitman craving Shaw’s death, and of course Charles’ very personal bodyguard Logan – unkillable monster, loyal as a dog. And a whole freakin’ army of people, devoted to Charles and ready to fight for him. </p><p>If Shaw wants war, he’ll get it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Move

**Author's Note:**

  * For [drx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/drx/gifts).



> Based on Dwaroxxx's amazing [Sin City AU](http://gerec.tumblr.com/post/140841323196/dwaroxxx-sin-city-au-the-constant-war-for) \- Lach and I decided to post our snippets here, in case we decide to expand on this 'verse in the future!

There are dead bodies littering the floor when the deluge of gun fire finally stops, and Logan’s ears ring with the hollow silence that follows.

He counts five dead bodies now – Shaw’s men, he recognizes them all – sent to take out Brian Xavier and his only son, in the heart of Xavier territory, inside The Mansion nightclub. Somebody sold them out to Shaw and gave them access; told them what time, how many, and when the kid would be there too, back on break from Oxford.

Logan’s going to find the fucker that turned on them, and tear his beating heart out with his bare hands.

There’s five dead bodies, soon to be six, because they managed to get Brian, three times in the chest. He can tell just by looking that Xavier is done; they’re never going to get him to a doctor in time to stop him from bleeding out all over the fucking floor.

“Dad,” Charles says, voice shaking as he cradles Brian in his arms, his hands, his clothes, covered in his father’s blood. “Dad, stay with me, alright? You’ll be okay, we’ll get Hank; he can help. You’ll be alright.”

“Charles, are you hurt?” Brian wheezes, and goddammit Logan is so angry he wants to scream, because _how_ could this have happened under his watch? He’s supposed to protect them, Xavier Senior and Junior both, but it was _Brian_ who shoved Charles behind him and took those bullets for his only son.

“I’m fine,” Charles answers, and the kid is crying because he knows too, even if he can’t admit it. “We’ll both be fine. It’s going to okay.”

Brian groans, and Charles clutches tighter, clinging desperately to his father’s hand. Logan kneels next to Brian, ignoring the sticky wet soaking into his jeans, and takes his other hand.

“Logan,” Brian manages, his panting breaths getting shorter and harsher as the seconds tick by. “Swear to me…you’ll protect…Charles with your life. There’s nothing…ugh,” he grunts, “there’s nothing more important than Charles, you understand? Promise me!”

He’s never been particularly sentimental, and neither has Brian, but Logan owes the man everything; for dragging him out of an endless cycle of illegal cage fights and broken limbs, and giving him something more worthwhile than a cheap and meaningless death.

“I swear it. They’ll get him over my dead body.”

Brian grins, which turns quickly into a grimace. “Good. Now get Charles out of here.”

“No! I’m not leaving you here! We’ll carry you out, we can—”

The entire building shakes, an explosion ripping through the level below them as the sound of gunfire picks up again. Logan grabs Charles by the arm and shoves his gun in Brian’s hand, only for Charles to pull away and glare at him.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Keeping my promise,” he says, and hauls him up by the waist, as the shouting and the bullets get ever closer. “We have to go, now.”

“No! I can’t—”

“Charles!” Brian shouts, as he drags himself up and leans against his desk. “Go, that’s an order.”

And that’s the last image he has of Brian Xavier, one hand pressed against his stomach and the other pointing a gun at the open door.

—-

The Mansion explodes in the night sky like fucking fireworks on the Fourth of July.

—-

Later, at the safe house, Charles sits unmoving at the kitchen table, staring at the blood caked all over his hands.  Logan leaves him alone, because he doesn’t know what the fuck to say except ‘I’m sorry’, and the kid sure as hell doesn’t want to hear that from him _now_ , when his Dad’s just been shot and then blown into a million pieces.

He does relay Raven’s message to Charles when she calls; that’s she’s safe, and she’s on her way to meet them, just as soon as she’s sure that none of Shaw’s men are following her. Charles just stares at him for long moments and then closes his eyes, and yeah, what else is there to say after everything that’s happened?

—-

Three days.

Three days goes by, before Charles says another word.

He’s sitting at the kitchen table again, clean and freshly shaven with a coffee in his hand. Raven sits to his left, and Logan at his right, and they’re both looking at him expectantly, because they know Charles, and they know he has something to say.

“I’m going to make him pay,” he murmurs, barely loud enough for the others to hear him, his hands rubbing back and forth around his mug. “I’m going to take out his men, and disrupt his supply lines and burn his properties to the ground. I’m going to bankrupt him, _ruin_ him, and then I’m going to gut him with my own two hands. I’m going to erase Sebastian Shaw from memory if it takes me a lifetime and every penny I have to make it happen. I swear it. I’m going to make him pay.” He turns to them and adds, “Are you in?”

Raven takes Charles’ hand and squeezes, and he gives her a tight smile in return. Then he turns his attention to Logan, jaw clenched and brow furrowed, his eyes burning with incandescent rage.

Logan nods. “I’m in.”


	2. The Family Way

Charles has always known that it would end like this. 

He has always been aware of it, of this limited lifespan that the Xaviers possessed. It was not something that had ever been said out loud, but Charles was a clever boy and, quite frankly, some things just didn’t need to be said, even to a child. The fact that Charles had never known his own grandfather, let alone any of his predecessors, was as loud a statement as any. Say what you like about the family business, but it could be just as dangerous at the top of the food chain as it was at the bottom, and the Xavier line was living – or dead, as the case may be – proof of this.

And now, of course, there was a new addition to that list of the glorious dead: Charles’s father, Brian, one more casualty in a long line of fallen Xavier scions who would never live to see fifty.

It was Charles’s turn next. That was clear enough. And, if he wasn’t careful, it would likely come to pass before he even saw his next birthday.

That couldn’t be allowed to happen, of course. Charles was well aware of the limited lifespan of the Xaviers, and he even accepted it as the price that came with the life that his family had chosen, but that did not mean that he planned to go down without a fight.

There would be at least _one_ more death in between Brian Xavier’s and Charles Xavier’s, and that would be Sebastian Shaw’s.

**…**

‘You okay there, Chuck?’

Charles smiles at the sound of Logan’s voice, the expression brittle even by his own reckoning. He’d allowed himself three days to grieve – three days to weep and rage and clutch at Logan and Raven and cry himself to sleep – and then he had forced himself to set it all aside and do what needed to be done. There would be time to grieve later – much later, after he and his were safe, and Shaw’s were dead and buried. Now was the time to concentrate on survival and revenge, and to put all emotion aside. It was much easier in theory than in practice, but Charles was nothing if not iron-willed. Grief could wait; revenge could not.

‘Everything is quite alright, Logan,’ he murmurs, running light fingers over Logan’s knuckles. He smiles slightly when he catches sight of the bruises there, pressing his fingers into the purpling marks and causing Logan to hiss. ‘Trouble getting Shaw’s men to talk?’ he asks lightly.

Logan scowls. ‘Not especially,’ he grunts, glaring off into the distance. ‘Just felt like punching somethin’, is all.’

Charles smiles thinly. He knows the feeling.

‘You didn’t damage them too badly, I hope,’ he says instead, because this is important and he needs to be practical, not emotional.

Logan shakes his head. ‘Nah,’ he says. ‘I was goddamn _gentle_ with them. It’s that sister of yours that you want to watch out for, though. The poor bastards were half dead by the time she brought them in.’

Charles frowns. Raven had always been more highly-strung than him, and more susceptible to bouts of passion. He would have to remember to caution her against this in the future. His adopted sister was an undeniably remarkable asset, excelling as she did in both espionage and assassination, but she’d loved Brian Xavier almost as much as Charles had, and emotions could unravel even the most skilled of operatives if left unchecked.

Charles sighs, adding this brotherly chat to the mental list of things that he needs to do in the next few days. ‘Have Hank look the men over,’ he says decisively. ‘Tell him to patch them up enough that they don’t bleed out all over the basement, but nothing further. And tell him to leave out the pain meds.’ Charles smiles coldly. ‘I know that he’s been dying to study pain thresholds – he could always use more data for his experiments.’

‘You’re just too damn generous, boss,’ Logan drawls, before looking across the room and nodding firmly at a man near the door. He watches as the man nods in acknowledgment, before going off to find McCoy so that he can give him the message.

‘So tell me,’ Charles says as he and Logan are left alone together. ‘What did Shaw’s people have to say for themselves?’

‘Lots,’ Logan answers with satisfaction. ‘Talked my goddamn ear off, near enough. Seemed to think that whoever spilled the most secrets had the best chance of surviving the night.’

‘Whatever gave them that idea?’ Charles murmurs, smiling slightly.

‘No idea,’ Logan shrugs, looking smug. ‘In any case, they were real keen to talk.’

‘And what did they say?’

Logan is silent for a moment. When he speaks, he sounds almost reluctant. ‘They say an old enemy of Shaw’s is back in town,’ he says in a voice that’s little better than a growl. ‘Causin’ him a heap of trouble, by the sound of things.’

Charles immediately sits up, looking alert. ‘An old enemy?’ he asks sharply. ‘Did they say who?’

Logan, if anything, looks even more reluctant than before. At Charles’s narrow glare, however, he relents. ‘Lehnsherr,’ he reveals, every syllable of the word laced with dislike. ‘It’s that asshole Lehnsherr, that’s who.’

Charles sits back at that, looking thoughtful. ‘Ah,’ he says slowly. ‘So Erik is back in town.’

Logan scowls but doesn’t say anything.

‘I wonder …’ Charles continues, still deep in thought. ‘Do you think that he heard what happened?’

Logan shrugs unhappily. ‘Probably,’ he grunts. ‘You know how he is about Shaw. Asshole probably knows when Shaw goes to take a leak.’

Charles ignores this. ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if we had a visitor very, very soon,’ he murmurs, stroking his lower lip. ‘How … fortuitous. I was planning on sending word, you know.’

‘Yeah, I know,’ Logan says, still sounding unhappy. ‘Though, just for the record, I ain’t exactly sure why. Lehnsherr is an asshole, and if the guy had a choice between saving your hide and ending Shaw, we both know _exactly_ which option that jackass would choose.’

Charles shrugs. ‘At this point, I can’t say that I wouldn’t agree with his choice,’ he says lightly, causing Logan to let out a growl. ‘Besides,’ he adds, his eyes glinting. ‘Don’t pretend that that’s the _only_ reason you dislike Erik, Logan. I know you _far_ better than that.’

Logan isn’t normally someone who embarrasses easily, but his ears nevertheless redden slightly at the accusation. ‘The only reason Lehnsherr hangs around here is ‘cause he wants in your pants,’ he says resentfully. ‘And the only reason he’ll come here now is ‘cause he thinks that he can take advantage of you being emotionally vulnerable and a—’

‘Logan.’ The word isn’t spoken loudly, but Charles’s tone in very, very cold.

Logan ducks his head. ‘Shit, Chuck,’ he says, sounding remorseful. ‘I don’t mean anything by it. It’s just – your _dad_ died, bub. That’s going to take its toll on anyone. And I don’t want no pieces of shit like Lehnsherr to come along and think that they can take advantage of that.’

‘That’s not for you to decide,’ Charles says coldly, glaring at him. ‘And if there’s any advantage to be taken, then it will be _me_ taking advantage of _him_. He knows how useful it will be to have me on his side, Logan. He will want all of the resources that I can offer him in his quest for vengeance, and you know better than most that my resources are _considerable_.’

‘I know,’ Logan says, sounding subdued.

Charles’s expression softens at the chastised look on Logan’s face. ‘Oh Logan, my friend, you still don’t understand it, do you?’ he asks gently, getting up from his seat and wandering over to him. ‘You still do not see what it is that I am doing here … what I am building, with you and Raven and Hank and perhaps even Erik at my side?’

Logan frowns, shaking his head slowly.

‘Think of those men right now in the basement,’ Charles explains softly. ‘Think of how quickly – how _pathetically easily_ – they gave up everything that they had on Shaw, how they rolled over at the slightest threat of harm to their persons.’ When Logan continues to frown, Charles lets out a sigh. ‘Think of my father, then,’ he says instead. ‘And of his father, and _his_ father, and so on. They all surrounded themselves with allies – with men of similar backgrounds and ideas and goals … and _ambitions_.’ He looks Logan straight in the eye. ‘How many of those men – Xavier men – met their ends because they allied themselves with the wrong people?’ He shakes his head. ‘My father allied himself with Kurt Marko and his ilk despite the fact that there was little love lost on both sides. Truly, is it any wonder that things turned out as they did?’

‘Chuck—’

‘It’s the _truth_ , Logan. How else do you think that Shaw got to us? We were betrayed, and I would put good money on the fact that it was Marko who sold us down the river. Don’t worry,’ he says at the black look on Logan’s face. ‘I already have people searching for him, and Raven has taken a _very_ personal interest in his capture. That’s not the point I was trying to make.’

‘What _is_ your point then?’

‘The _point_ ,’ Charles says, stressing the word. ‘Is that my father surrounded himself with allies, but he didn’t surround himself with _friends_. There was no real loyalty there, Logan. None at all. I’ve grown up around these men, you see, and I’ve known from the very beginning that I would do things differently from my father.’ He slowly reaches out and cups Logan’s cheek, his expression gentle. ‘We will be a true family here, Logan,’ he says softly, his hand warm where it caresses Logan’s face. ‘It will not be treaties and agreements that tie us all together. It will be _love_.’ Charles smiles, his expression suddenly cold and frightening and inexplicably beautiful. ‘And god help anyone who tries to break us apart.’

Logan stares deep into Charles’s eyes, feeling the breath catch in his chest. ‘Yes,’ he says wholeheartedly, reaching up to lay one large, careful hand over Charles’s own. ‘God help them _all_.’


End file.
